Graham man sentenced as habitual felon

People sit in District Court at the Criminal Courts Building in Graham on Wednesday. Photo by Scott Muthersbaugh / Times-News

By Michael D. Abernethy / Times-News

Published: Tuesday, August 20, 2013 at 03:34 PM.

GRAHAM — A Graham man pleaded guilty Monday to selling an undercover officer painkillers and to being a habitual felon.

Kenneth English, 54, of East Harden Street, Graham, was charged in July of last year with possession with intent to sell/deliver hydrocodone, sell and deliver hydrocodone and conspiracy to sell and deliver hydrocodone. He was one of 36 people charged in an undercover drug sweep during the last week of July 2012.

He was later indicted on the habitual felon charge.

English was charged after a “confidential informant” with the Alamance County Sheriff’s Office arranged to meet him to buy oxycodone pills, Alamance County Assistant District Attorney Alex Dawson III said. At the meeting place, a woman brought English the pills and English then sold five pills to a sheriff’s deputy for $30.

Defense attorney Bob Martin told the court he believed the operation was a form of entrapment and that English wouldn’t have “been involved in this if not asked to by this person, the confidential informant.”

Superior Court Judge Elaine Bushfan consolidated the four charges in the plea agreement and issued a mitigated sentence of 91 to 122 months as a habitual felon. With credit for time served, English will spend about six and a half years in prison. Bushfan recommended he be treated for substance abuse and earn his GED while in prison.

His criminal record includes convictions dating back to the early 1980s for drug possession, breaking and entering and arson.

GRAHAM — A Graham man pleaded guilty Monday to selling an undercover officer painkillers and to being a habitual felon.

Kenneth English, 54, of East Harden Street, Graham, was charged in July of last year with possession with intent to sell/deliver hydrocodone, sell and deliver hydrocodone and conspiracy to sell and deliver hydrocodone. He was one of 36 people charged in an undercover drug sweep during the last week of July 2012.

He was later indicted on the habitual felon charge.

English was charged after a “confidential informant” with the Alamance County Sheriff’s Office arranged to meet him to buy oxycodone pills, Alamance County Assistant District Attorney Alex Dawson III said. At the meeting place, a woman brought English the pills and English then sold five pills to a sheriff’s deputy for $30.

Defense attorney Bob Martin told the court he believed the operation was a form of entrapment and that English wouldn’t have “been involved in this if not asked to by this person, the confidential informant.”

Superior Court Judge Elaine Bushfan consolidated the four charges in the plea agreement and issued a mitigated sentence of 91 to 122 months as a habitual felon. With credit for time served, English will spend about six and a half years in prison. Bushfan recommended he be treated for substance abuse and earn his GED while in prison.

His criminal record includes convictions dating back to the early 1980s for drug possession, breaking and entering and arson.